Various latently crimpable conjugate fibers used for producing a stretch nonwoven have been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-Open) Publication No. 2-191720(A) (Patent Literature 1) proposes a conjugate fiber wherein polypropylene having a Q value of less than 5 and a melt flow rate of from 15 g/10 min to 200 g/10 min is a first component and ethylene-propylene having a melting temperature of from 133° C. to 145° C. is a second component and these components are disposed in a side-by-side structure, or an eccentric sheath-core structure in which the first component is a core and the second component is a sheath. Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-Open) Publication No. 2-53916(A) (Patent Literature 2) proposes a conjugate fiber wherein a first component is a high-density polyethylene having a density of not less than 0.958 g/cm3 and a second component is a polybutylene terephthalate and these component are disposed in a side-by-side structure, or an eccentric sheath-core structure in which the first component is a sheath and the second component is a core. Japanese Patent (Laid-Open) Publication No. 2001-40531(A) (Patent Literature 3) proposes an eccentric sheath-core conjugate fiber wherein a first component is a propylene copolymer having a specific melting point and a second component is polyethylene which is disposed as a sheath.
Patent Literature 1:
Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-Open) Publication No. 2-191720(A)
Patent Literature 2:
Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-Open) Publication No. 2-53916(A)
Patent Literature 3:
Japanese Patent (Laid-Open) Publication No. 2001-40531(A)